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Oregon State second baseman Nick Madrigal, left, tags out Cal State Fullerton’s Dillon Persinger (19) who was caught stealing second base in the third inning of an NCAA mens College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Saturday, June 17, 2017. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Pat Caputo - Tigers, Red Wings and whether size still matters

Oregon State second baseman Nick Madrigal, left, tags out Cal State Fullerton’s Dillon Persinger (19) who was caught stealing second base in the third inning of an NCAA mens College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., Saturday, June 17, 2017. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Michigan defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) takes the puck upice against Michigan State during the first period of an NCAA college hockey game, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Yet, the skill-level of all three is extraordinary, and unlike the past, they are not being ignored because of smaller size.

Bovqist is likely to go in the Top 5 of the NHL Draft, and Hughes the Top 10. They have exceptional skating ability, puck-moving skills and adroitness at the point on the power play. In those specific areas, Boqvist might be equal to consensus first overall pick Rasmus Dahlin, who is much bigger (6-2, nearing 190 pounds and projected to play at more than 200 pounds when he hits his 20s). Hughes, playing for Michigan in the Frozen Four, carries the same modus operandi.

In the past, though, the NHL frowned on smaller players, especially defensemen. But the league has changed considerably. The forecheck has become the new neutral zone trap. It’s incredibly intense in this era, and defensemen nimble enough to escape it consistently have become the central figures. It’s been a particularly noticeable weakness for the Red Wings.

Livonia’s Torey Krug (5-9, 181), despite an excellent career at Michigan State, went undrafted. He’s been an outstanding player for Boston, and it’s paved the way for others in this era. Where both Krug and former Red Wings’ star Brian Rafalski, who was raised Downriver, were not drafted, they would likely be first-round picks in this era. He’s a forward, but Alex DeBricat, who is from Farmington Hills, is another example. His size (5-7, 165 pounds) presumably kept him from being picked in the OHL draft. But he lit up the score sheet nonetheless for Erie during his junior career, and continued it long after Connor McDavid departed from being his linemate. Still, DeBrincat lasted until the 39th overall pick in the NHL Draft. However, as a 20-year-old rookie for Chicago, he has 27 goals.

Madrigal has arguably been the nation’s best college baseball player the last couple years. Oregon State has an extraordinarily strong program. He’s a multi-tool player, who hasn’t hit that many home runs yet, but has a high rate of extra base hits and projects with more power professionally. He displayed that early this season before being sidelined for a month because of a hand injury. Madrigal plays second base, but is a solid shortstop (Top 50 prospect Cadyn Grenier plays short for OSU).

Like with the above-mentioned hockey defensemen, Madrigal is getting a much more objective evaluation regardless of his small stature than he would have a decade ago. The reason: Recent American League MVPs, each second basemen, Boston’s Dustin Pedroia (5-9) and Houston’s Jose Altuve (5-6).

Altuve reportedly was originally cut from an Astros’ tryout camp and just received a $15,000 signing bonus when he eventually signed.

Pedroia was drafted in the second round by the Red Sox despite a remarkable college career at Arizona State. The scouting director for Boston at the time was David Chadd, the Tigers’ assistant general manager.

Baseball America recently posted its first mock draft. It has the Tigers taking Auburn’s Casey Mize, the one college draft-eligible pitcher lighting up the radar gun in the high 90s consistently this spring. Baseball America has Madrigal going third overall to the Phillies. But it wouldn’t surprise me if the Tigers took Madrigal under the circumstances. There is no sure first overall pick in the baseball draft. And, really, should Madrigal’s size matter?